Some said Nehemiah made it. From among the exiles, he had made it to the capital, and was now serving the king directly. Nehemiah likely enjoyed it too; the king seemed to favor him, and the favor of kings and lords has always been sought after.
Whenever there is comfort and prosperity, need and ruins aren’t far either. Nehemiah’s kinsmen brought the news. “The walls are broken down, and the gates are burned with fire…” perhaps the voice had trailed there… a silent question of what is there to do?… We’re helpless, and despised.
Where other simply saw a fact, Nehemiah heard a call. When all are busy with their homes; who has time for city walls? We’re all tired after work, and the gardens, really.
Sometimes we wait for the call. That call to do God’s work. We’ll certainly do it, we claim, as soon as the revelation is given. But sometimes the call comes not in a vision, or thundering voice, it may simply be a conversation. Have you heard one recently? Perhaps it’s your very own people. Your very own church. Your very own youth. Maybe, just maybe, the call today is not to oversees, or over mountains.
Perhaps the call is just to build our place, our living structure, the church together. Have you heard? The tables and chairs need setting up, and taking down. The coffee made, the food brought, the website maintained, the people talked to.
Did you hear that? Was that your name?
“So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching”
Romans 12:5-6
